Hiring a property manager comes down to what happens after you sign. A license, a trade-group badge and a good conversation are a start; the written process behind them is what you are really buying. This guide gives owners of two to ten rentals in East Contra Costa the questions to ask and what a good answer sounds like.
What does a California property manager need to be licensed?
Leasing property for someone else, collecting rent and soliciting tenants for pay are broker activities under Business and Professions Code section 10131. The manager must hold a real estate broker license, directly or through a salesperson working under a broker. Look the license up on the Department of Real Estate website before you sign, and read how the rules fit together in our guide to who regulates property managers.
What is NARPM, and does membership matter?
NARPM, the National Association of Residential Property Managers, is a trade association for people who manage single-family homes and small portfolios. Joining and attending its education shows a manager invests in the work. It does not replace a California broker license or prove the manager follows California law. Treat it as one signal.
What should I ask a property manager, and what does a good answer sound like?
| Ask about | A good answer sounds like | A red flag sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| The license | A broker license number you can verify on the DRE site | "We are licensed" with no number |
| Training | Specific courses or conferences in the past 12 months and what changed in the process | A badge with no example |
| Repairs | How requests come in, who dispatches, how follow-up works, what records you get | "Tenants call the vendor directly" |
| The monthly statement | A sample showing income, expenses and reserves you can read | "We send it when it is ready" |
| Law changes | A named person who tracks rules such as the rent limit in Civil Code 1947.12 and the SB 610 disaster duties in Civil Code 1941.8 | "The law does not change much" |
| Entry and showings | Written notice, with 24 hours presumed reasonable under Civil Code 1954 | "We just go in when we need to" |
| The security deposit | An itemized statement and a return within the time Civil Code 1950.5 sets | Deductions with no itemized list |
| Screening | Written criteria applied the same way to every applicant | "We use our judgment" |
What do written systems look like?
A manager with real systems can show you each of these on paper: the leasing steps from listing to signed lease, a late-rent timeline, the repair dispatch process, one standard inspection format for move-in, move-out and periodic visits, and a monthly owner calendar for statements, disbursements and year-end tax documents. If the answer to any of them is "we handle it case by case," expect your results to vary case by case too.
Where does Croskey fit?
Croskey Real Estate, Inc. is a Pittsburg brokerage (DRE #01990430) that manages rentals in Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Bay Point and Concord. Its CEO, Wolfgang Croskey, is a co-founder of the PM Systems Conference and spoke at the NARPM Annual Convention in Orlando, October 20 to 23, 2025. Our pricing page shows what full-service management includes, and our guide to maintenance requests shows how repairs are handled. To walk through the questions above for your own rental, schedule a landlord consultation.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local ordinances change; confirm your situation with a California attorney.
Frequently asked questions
What does NARPM membership mean for a property manager?
NARPM is the National Association of Residential Property Managers, a trade group. Membership signals the manager invests in training, but it is not a license and does not prove compliance with California law.
What should I ask a property manager before I hire them?
Ask for the broker license number, the training completed in the past 12 months, how repairs are handled, a sample monthly statement, how law changes reach the staff, how entry and deposits are handled, and how applicants are screened.
Does a property manager need a license in California?
Yes for anyone who leases or collects rent for others for pay. They must hold a real estate broker license, directly or through a salesperson working under one (Business and Professions Code section 10131). Verify it on the DRE website.
How do I know a property manager has real systems?
Ask to see the late-rent timeline, a sample owner statement, the repair process and an inspection report. A manager with real systems can show them on paper.
